[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 48 (Thursday, April 28, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: April 28, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                     TRIBUTE TO DONALD W. BARNICKLE

                                 ______


                         HON. HARRIS W. FAWELL

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 28, 1994

  Mr. FAWELL. Mr. Speaker, second only to the family in its crucial 
influence in shaping the lives of the Nation's children, are our 
schools, and particularly, the individual teachers and principals in 
whose care they are entrusted during a large part of the day. For this 
reason, I take special pride and satisfaction in asking my colleagues 
to join the people of Naperville, IL, as they honor Elmwood Elementary 
School Principal, Donald W. Barnickle, who will retire this June after 
more than 44 years of service in education.
  From the start, Don Barnickle has been committed to the shaping of 
young children's minds in their most formative years. He began his 
career in Naperville in 1950 as a teacher of fourth through sixth 
grades at the old Washington Junior High School. Five years later, Don 
accepted a job as the first principal of Elementary District 78's third 
school, Beebe. In 1960, Don left Beebe to open district's 78's fifth 
elementary school, Elmwood. In 1965, under Don's able direction, 
district 78 built a 12-classroom addition to the Elmwood School. 
Serving as district 78's overflow facility, Elmwood served 926 students 
in its peak attendance year.
  During his second year at Elmwood, Don implemented a new, nongraded 
primary program and cooperative teaching methods for students who learn 
at an accelerated pace. This program resulted in the selection of 
Elmwood as a demonstration center for the State of Illinois program for 
gifted students during the 1970's. Elmwood was also one of the school 
districts sites for the piloting of an early form of computer assisted 
instruction. The Program for Learning in Accordance with Needs [PLAN] 
emphasized individualized instruction and recording-keeping assistance 
through the use of a computer service.
  Don also served as the first chairman of the School District's Joint 
Curriculum Advisory Council, a long-standing committee comprised of 
representatives of the school district and the community. He also has 
conducted workshops in other districts on the subject of individualized 
instruction, and has served as a consultant for the State of Illinois 
Gifted Program.
  The inscription on the dedication plaque in the lobby of the Elmwood 
School best sums up Don Barnickle's career:

       A dedicated leader in education who has given a lifetime of 
     service to the children of Naperville, * * * A man who has 
     influenced the lives of many.

  Mr. Speaker, this says a great deal about Don Barnickle, perhaps it 
says it all. Professional education credentials are important, but they 
lose their vitality if they are not combined with a genuine affection 
for the children under the school's care. Don Barnickle, for more than 
four decades, has recognized the importance of providing children not 
only the beginnings of formal instruction, but also the meaningful 
experiences which will ultimately produce independent, responsible, and 
productive adults.
  I commend Don Barnickle for his countless years of dedicated service, 
and wish him the best in his retirement.

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